A Winter's Tale
by AW Science Geek
Summary: Elsa was born with her icy powers, but discovers she has a role to play in the battle for the Earth between the Guardians and the Dark. When she grows up, her imaginary friend Jack Frost becomes more than just her mentor and friend. Destroyed by betrayal and cradling a broken heart, will Elsa ever find her way in the cold, unforgiving world?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Mommy! Daddy!" Elsa's shriek echoed through the palace. When her parents found the four year-old, she was kneeling in the center of the ballroom. Her father, a few steps ahead of her mother, ran into the room and promptly slid across the floor toward his daughter. Elsa's mother stopped in the doorway uncertainly, watching her husband slide across the floor on the layer of ice swirling around the floor. Silver, white, and blue ice curled away from Elsa. Elsa for her part had a mixture of awe and terror on her young face.

"Look what I did!" Elsa said in excitement. Her father had stopped sliding and was on his knees next to Elsa. He grabbed for her hands.

"You're freezing, Elsa."

"No, I'm not cold. I feel great. The cold doesn't bother me!" Elsa's excitement drained as she asked, "Why can I do this?"

"We don't know, Elsa," her mother said, carefully picking her way across the room. The temperature dropped with every step. In the Queen's arms Elsa's baby sister, Anna, started crying. Elsa stood quickly and ran to her mother and sister.

Looking in wonder at the sniffling baby, Elsa raised her hand. She sent a small puff of glowing white sparkles into the air. Anna stared wide-eyes at the glowing snow. Elsa sent up another puff. Anna reached out her tiny hand, her sniffles gone. Elsa drew a small flower in the air with another puff of ice. Anna grabbed at it, and finding it cold, squeaked. Elsa made another. This time Anna laughed. She squealed in delight, and Elsa laughed too. In fact, all four were smiling and laughing as Elsa shot little sparkles into the air. Elsa giggled.

"Elsa, we don't know why you have these powers," her father said.

"But, we don't care," her mother finished. "You are a very special girl, Elsa, and we love you." Once again, picking their way across the ice, the royal family walked out of the ballroom.

"But you are going to have to figure out how to use your powers." Elsa's father scooped her up, once they were in the hallway. She stared with wide-eyes at him. "You can't keep icing things when you aren't paying attention." Elsa nodded seriously.

"I can help with that." A voice came from beside her, and Elsa turned her head quickly to look. A boy was standing in the hallway. She could have sworn he hadn't been there a second ago. He had silvery hair, even fairer than Elsa's was, shocking blue eyes, and a mischievous smile. He wore a blue and silver coat, ragged brown pants, and no shoes. He also held a staff with ice wound around like ivy in his his hands, casually, as if he didn't even remember it was there.

"Who are you?" Elsa asked.

"What!" Elsa's father looked at her in concerned surprise. Elsa just kept staring at the boy.

"Jack Frost," the boy grinned.

"Where did you come from?" Elsa asked. Now, both her parents had stopped walking and were staring in concern.

"Elsa, sweetheart, who are you talking to?" Elsa's mother asked.

Elsa looked away from Jack Frost and looked in confusion at her parents. "That boy, he's standing right there. Jack Frost, he's here!"

"Jack Frost?" her father asked.

"Where?" her mother asked simultaneously. Elsa pounded her father's shoulders until he put her down. She pointed at Jack. Both the King and Queen stared down the hallway, without seeing anything.

"Mommy, you read the story about him last night! He's right there!"

"They can't see me, Elsa," Jack said seriously.

"Why not?"

"Elsa, who are you talking to?"

"They don't believe in me. But you do."

"So I can see you, because I believe, and they can't because they don't?" Elsa asked. Jack nodded.

As if sensing her mother's confusion and worry, Anna started crying again. Elsa turned away from Jack again, distracted.

"I saw what you did in there, Elsa, for Anna. Do it again. This time I want you to just make a flower, but don't draw it. Think of what a flower would look like, and make one," Jack said pointing to the baby. Elsa walked to Anna, reached out her hand, and inside was a perfect ice daisy. She put it in Anna's hand. Anna's attention was on the flower, and she stopped crying.

"Come on, let's go," Elsa determinedly walked down the hallway. Her family watched for a shocked second and then followed. Jack smiled proudly after them and jumped out the window before Elsa had the chance to look back.

"Elsa, who were you talking to?"

"Jack Frost, he's my imaginary friend."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Bored, Jack flew to the window of his favorite room, Princess Elsa of Arendelle's bedroom. Smiling, he proceeded to the open window; ever since they had met three years ago, she had always left it open in case he wanted to visit.

But as he entered the room, he knew something had gone terribly wrong. Her entire room was covered in ice, from the ceiling to the floor. Her fluffy comforters had frozen solid, cracking in some places, feathers flying everywhere like gigantic snowflakes.

"Elsa?" he called out gently, surveying the room. He heard a small sniffle, and ducked down underneath the bed. There was Elsa, huddling in the furthest corner between the bed and her nightstand, shivering. That was odd, ice princesses should never be cold. Cold is their world.

As he neared her hiding spot, he could hear her heavy breaths. Suddenly, he realized that she was _crying_. Silently, though, which was always the worst kind of crying. When children sob loudly, they want attention and love. When they sob silently, it's because they can't stop.

"Elsa, what's wrong?" Jack asked concernedly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She pushed his hand away, turning towards the wall and crying harder. "C'mon, Elsa, you can talk to me. Who am I gonna tell?" he smirked, hoping to cheer her up. It didn't.

"Imamonster," she blubbered into her nightgown incoherently.

"Talk to me, Elsa," Jack said kindly, drawing her into his lap. She turned and sobbed into his chest, clutching at his sweatshirt tightly. "What did you say?"

"I'm a monster," she sobbed. "I don't want these powers! I never wanted them!"

"Hey, hey!" Jack protested, offended. "Having these sort of powers are cool! No pun intended."

Again, he failed to cheer her up.

"What happened, Elsa? What changed?"

"I hurt Anna," she mumbled, and then cried harder.

"She knows you didn't mean it," Jack began.

"She doesn't know anything anymore!" Elsa cried, cutting him off.

"W-what happened?"

"I accidentally iced her brain… Mom and Dad had to take us to these… trolls or something. They knew how to undo it. But th-th-they…"

"They what?" Jack prodded gently.

"Th-they erased all her memories of my powers. I've got to keep it a secret," Elsa sniffled, her tears freezing on her cheeks. "She can never know, not anymore! She probably won't be able to see you anymore, either."

When Anna had been old enough to understand what believing meant, Elsa had shown her Jack Frost. He had been thrilled to find another person who could actually see him. Anna had believed as much as Elsa had. Their parents had long since accepted Elsa's "imaginary friend" and when Anna started seeing him too, they assumed it was older sibling worship, and they thought nothing of it.

"Shh, Elsa," Jack patted her back. "She's okay now, that's all that matters, right? You've got me Elsa, you're not alone. You'll never be alone."

"What if I hurt someone? I can't control my powers! Everything I touch is changing to ice. What if I hold someones hand and kill them?"

"Elsa, you'll be fine. You're not going to kill anyone!"

"I almost killed Anna," Elsa whispered, horrified with herself. "And she's my sister…"

"Elsa," Jack reached out a hand to put on her shoulder to comfort her but she flinched away.

"Don't touch me! I might hurt you. I might kill you!"

"Elsa, I don't think anyone can kill me except the Moon."

"The Moon?"

"Old Man in the Moon made me this way. I can't die. You can't hurt me Elsa. You're stuck with me." For the first time that night, Elsa gave a small smile. It wasn't much but it was the best thing Jack had seen so far. He grinned. "You'll never be alone, Elsa."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jack had left hours ago. He hadn't wanted to leave Elsa alone, but she had been insistent. Defiant even. Jack was never good about refusing little girls when they were crying. He could usually make them feel better, but when Elsa had demanded to be left alone, he left.

Elsa was buried under her covers, sniffling, but no longer sobbing. She felt exhausted. Everything had happened so fast. Why couldn't Anna have slowed down? Why hadn't she, Elsa, been faster? She could have caught Anna. None of this would have happened!

Elsa bolted awake. She sat, breathing hard in the silent room. Ice spread from her bed. The window panes were opaque with the covering of frost on them. "Jack?" she called. She thought she could hear quiet laughter. "Jack? Anna?"

She listened. The laughter came again, a little louder. It was too deep to be Anna or Jack. It was creepy too. "Who's there?" Elsa called, looking around the room, searching. She slid out of bed, once again glad that the cold didn't bother her, because her barefeet slid on the ice. She made a snowball in her hand, glowing with icy light. She held it up, showering the room with light.

Suddenly it was covered in a dark ice, darker in color than anything Elsa had ever created. She dropped the snowball. It hit the ground and shattered into pieces of black glinting material. The light went out, leaving only pale moonlight from the window.

"Dear little, Elsa, you should know that you'll never find me with a light on." Elsa shrieked. The voice, cold and creepy and dark, had come from behind her. She spun wildly, and fell backwards. She used her hands to scoot away from the man standing there. He was tall and thin, black hair, black clothing, black eyes, and had an unhealthy gray tinge to his skin.

"Who are you?" she asked, almost stuttering in fear.

"Pitch, dear. I am Pitch Black, the Bogeyman, your nightmare, and your demon." His voice made Elsa shiver, something she was thoroughly unused to.

"What do you want?"

"You, my dear." He smiled. Elsa flinched.

"W...why?"

"I made you. It's time to pay up."

"Made me?"

"Haven't you ever wondered where your powers came from?"

"Of course," Elsa said a little indignation countering her fear. "You did this to me?"

"Yes," Pitch said. But he had hesitated, only a fraction of a second, but it was enough for Elsa to know he wasn't telling her all of it. "You are going to be my warrior, Ice Queen."

"I'm not Queen."

"You will be."

"I won't fight for you. You're creepy."

"I'm your destiny, little girl. You don't have a choice."

Elsa huffed. She crossed her arms. She was angry now. The guy was creepy, but what right did he have to tell her what she was supposed to do. She was angry. Anger was stronger than fear. He didn't seem to grasp that yet. He reached a hand out, a hand with pointy, sharp fingernails, to pull her up off the floor.

"No!" she yelled at him, blasting him with a furious wind of snow and ice. He recoiled and glared at her. She shrank back as blackness started creeping toward her. "I won't do it!" she shouted as he came closer.

Suddenly it stopped. The black tendrils of mist retreated back towards Pitch and he stood straight again.

"You're a foolish child. You'll learn. I'll be back," he said ominously as he stepped backwards into the shadows in the corner of the room. "You better keep a watch on those powers, little girl. Ice is dangerous. I gave them to you because you will use them to kill." With that Pitch vanished. Elsa shuddered.

The door opened and Anna ran into the room. "Elsa!" she screamed in delight. Elsa jumped. Anna tackled her and they went rolling across the floor. Anna was laughing hysterically. Elsa stared at her in horror.

"Anna, not now!" Elsa snapped. Anna stopped laughing. She looked hurt.

"Elsa?"

"I said not now, Anna. I'm not in the mood." Elsa looked away from her little sister's face. It pained Elsa to see Anna look so confused and hurt, but Elsa wasn't going to budge. Pitch had said her powers were dangerous, and Elsa knew that next time she might not be so lucky as to hit Anna's head. She might kill Anna.

"Elsa, come on!" Anna said, but she was already standing.

"Go away, Anna!" Elsa screamed. Anna ran from the room, tears streaming behind her face. Elsa slammed the door behind her. She staggered to the center of the room, collapsed to her knees and started sobbing all over again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Elsa had finally gotten a decent hold of her powers. It had only taken her, what, ten years? Eleven? She sighed, pacing around her room. Every year she grew taller, it only seemed to increase the potency and chaos that she had to relearn to control. Now she was stuck with a force that she had control over, but only when she was concentrating. Hard. Every time she got distracted and emotional she seemed to explode, and ice went everywhere.

Elsa wasn't good at being cold, not in the personality sense. It seemed the ultimate oxymoron that the Ice Princess, the coldest girl on the planet, would love to let her warm personality run free. But she couldn't. If she went to hug Anna and she slipped… no, it didn't even bear thinking about. Better to become the worlds best actress and lock her feelings away, where she couldn't hurt anyone.

"Nice day, huh?" Elsa turned to see Jack alight on her windowsill. She looked past him at the blizzard raging outside. She raised her eyebrows. He grinned.

"You call that a nice day?"

"Yes!" Jack retorted indignantly. "It's gorgeous!"

"Alright, yes it is." Elsa smiled. Only with Jack was she allowed to be happy and carefree.

He flicked his hair out of his eyes, his white hair almost glowing in the darkness from the storm outside. "You've been spending too much time with normal people," he smirked.

"Then you should visit more often," Elsa suggested cheekily.

"Yeah, I probably should," he grinned looking up to meet her eyes. They stared at each other for a little while, neither of them daring to breathe. Since when had Jack had such blue eyes? Had Elsa always been this tall?

Elsa was the first to flick her eyes away, chuckling and tucking her hair behind her ear. "Y-yeah," she stuttered. "You should."

Her movement seemed to snap Jack out of the staring contest he was having with her hair. Had it always been so perfectly braided? Jack shook his head, smiling ruefully. "Why, do you miss me?"

She looked at him dead-on, answering seriously. "You're the only one that I can be myself around, Jack. I have to hide everything whenever I leave this room," she gestured to her spacious bedroom, her lip curling slightly as she noticed the lack of furniture. Practically nothing survived her room when she became frustrated or even slightly emotional. So she had gotten into the habit of keeping the room spartan, minimal damage that way.

"At least people can see you." Jack said it jokingly but Elsa heard the bitterness, probably only because she knew him well enough.

"The real me? No, the real me is as invisible as you are." Elsa hung her head, averting her eyes.

"Don't think that," Jack remonstrated. He reached out and put his hand under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Elsa, you are amazing, and you are more than just your powers."

"Jack…" Elsa tried to pull away but he kept staring at her with those shining blue eyes, and Elsa found she couldn't look away.

"Elsa…" he repeated in exactly the same tone. Elsa blushed but she still couldn't take her eyes off him. "Elsa, trust me. You'll never be alone. I will be at your side for as long as you live. You'll always have me."

"You swear?" Elsa asked nervously, fiddling with the gloves over her hands. Her parents had suggested it. It helped, but at the same time, it didn't. She didn't freeze stuff as much, but it didn't make her feel any better about it.

"I swear, Elsa, I'll never let you down. I will be here for you forever," Elsa had never heard Jack sound so serious before.

"Why?" The question was out before Elsa could stop herself. Jack tilted his head, confused.

"Why what?"

"Why do you care so much for me? Why are you making this kind of commitment? Promising to stand by me forever. That's no small thing, Jack."

"I've never met anyone like you, Elsa."

"So you think I'm interesting? Like I'm some kind of experiment?" Elsa didn't know why she was pushing him. It was like she wanted to insult him, but he didn't want to play along.

"No, Elsa," Jack smiled. Then he blushed. "Maybe that's why I found you when you were a child, but not anymore. I've watched you grow up, Elsa. I've always loved kids, but now… now you're not a child anymore. Your powers are under control, mostly, you don't need me for that anymore."

"What do I need you for?" Elsa asked. She turned away and went to the window. She stared at the swirling storm outside for several seconds before she spoke again. "Because I know I need you. There has to be a reason I can't let you go." Behind her, Jack chuckled nervously. He took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for something.

"Elsa, maybe I need you."

"What?" Elsa turned back to face Jack. He had crossed the room to stand by the window too, and was closer than she thought he was. Elsa reared back a little when he stood beside her. He took her hands and looked her in the face again.

"Elsa, I need you. I am standing here, promising to stand by your side because I can't make myself leave. It's too hard to forget you, because you mean so much to me. I…" he stopped, scrunching his face. He ran one of his hands through his hair, making it stick up in silvery spikes. Elsa almost smiled at its messiness, she had always thought it was cute when his hair did that. Jack's other hand tightened on Elsa's. He stared at her with full attention, his snowflake glitter blue eyes wide. "Elsa, I love you."

Jack spoke the words quickly, as if it would be less embarrassing and difficult if he said them fast, as if holding them in any longer was painful. Elsa stared at him, not caring that her mouth was hanging open a little. She stared, lost completely in thought as she took it all in. She suddenly realized that the storm outside had stopped. Not that is has stopped snowing but that every flake had stopped moving in a frenzy. Everything hung, suspended, in the air perfectly still right outside the window. Elsa smiled, her heart beating fast. Without thinking Elsa stepped close to Jack, threw her arms around him and kissed him.

Jack froze, but only for a moment. He held Elsa close and stood together, kissing and not thinking of anything else for what seemed like forever. Finally they broke and stood, hands still together, staring at each other. Elsa laughed breathlessly.

"I love you, Elsa," Jack repeated. "I don't know when I realized, but I do. I love you."

"And I love you, Jack Frost. I don't think I realized until this moment just how much, but it's all I can think about now. I love you."

"Do you understand why I'll never leave you?" Jack whispered, pulling Elsa close.

She rested her head on his shoulder. "Yes," she whispered back.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jack had never felt this way about a girl before, at least, not that he could remember. And Elsa was…perfect. From her shimmering blonde hair and delicate features to her uncharacteristically warm personality, Elsa just felt… so _right_. There was nothing that he would change about Elsa.

As Jack hovered around a group of young children playing around his frozen pond, he smiled at them as they skidded on wobbly feet. Squealing with delight the children enjoyed his frozen creation. Jack floated away, swooping towards the castle, still thinking about the children's laughter. Elsa had squealed like that too once.

She had been an adorable child when Jack had met her, but she had grown into so much more. Jack couldn't take his eyes off her, couldn't get enough of her laughing, could never wait for the next time he would see her. She had grown into the beautiful perfect woman she was now. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and that was saying a lot for a guy who had been in the world for a little more than a century.

_But all good things must come to an end_…Jack thought to himself bitterly as he neared Elsa's window for the fourth time in four days. He had hovered outside it everyday this week, trying to get up the courage to go inside and tell her what needed to be said. But he couldn't do it. It was just too hard.

Jack knew that once he finally said it he would not be welcome here anymore. Telling Elsa the truth would mean losing her forever, and Jack wasn't brave enough to face that prospect yet. He had been alone for too long to be able to willingly leave the only friend he had that easily. More than a friend, Jack would be losing the only girl he had ever loved.

_Just do it, Jack!_ he repeated for the hundredth and first time. He reached a hand for the window to open it, pulled back, then reached out again. He was in the process of pulling the window open when Elsa saw him. She rushed to the window and flung it open, smiling broadly.

"Jack! You're back!"

"Of course I am," Jack said, but it lacked his customary attitude. Elsa looked concerned.

"What's wrong, Jack?"

"Elsa, I…" Jack looked away. He couldn't do it.

"Jack?" Elsa stepped back. Jack floated in and stood morosely by the window. "Jack, what's going on?"

"Elsa, I need to talk to you." Jack whispered.

"So talk," Elsa said with a forced smile. Jack didn't smile. Elsa's smile slipped as Jack looked at her properly for the first time. His eyes, usually bluer than icy ocean, were gray. They looked like a storm, and not the fun kind.

"Elsa, we need to stop."

"Stop what?" Elsa looked scared now.

"I… you… agghhhh!" Jack turned his back throwing his hands in frustration. "We can't do this! I can't…"

"Can't what?" Elsa's voice held an icy edge.

"Elsa, you and I can't be in love. It's not going to work."

"Not going to work?" Elsa repeated dully.

"No. I can't watch you grow old loving you. It would be too painful. And for you, you would be stuck, watching yourself get older with me staying a boy forever. You will be constantly aware of your human frailty. I can't die Elsa! You can. You will!" jack walked to Elsa, and grabbed her shoulders. "I won't do that to you Elsa. I have no way to make you any more like me than you have the power to make me like you. I want you to live a happy long life. And with me… with me that won't happen." Jack let go and walked back to his view at the window. It was a beautiful sunny day outside.

"So…" Elsa spoke for the first time since Jack's rant. "So, you're leaving?"

It broke Jack's heart to hear it, and more so to say it. "Yes."

Elsa was silent. Silent for so long that Jack turned back to look at her.

She stood in the center of the sparse room, ice spreading from where she stood in frozen spirals. She had her eyes closed, like she was trying not to cry. The ice had dark streaks in it and it was beginning to climb up the walls. It covered the open window with a thick new pane, blocking most of the light. The temperature dropped dramatically. It dropped so quickly that Jack shivered, once. He stared in shock at Elsa. She didn't seem to be paying an attention, she was controlling any of it.

"Elsa?" Jack said quietly. Elsa's eyes snapped open practically glowing with icy blue light.

"What happened to 'I'll never leave you'?" she asked angrily.

"Elsa, I…"

"What happened to 'I'll be at your side forever'?"

Jack just opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"What happened to 'You'll always have me'!" Elsa shouted. Freezing wind shot everywhere, the beginnings of a blizzard inside the room. "You promised!" Elsa's storm died as quickly as it had come. She collapsed to her knees in the center of the room. She started to cry. "You promised I would never be alone!" she screamed through her sobs.

"That was before…"

"Before what, exactly!" Elsa asked red rimmed eyes glaring up at Jack.

"Before I knew it would better off for you if I wasn't here!" Jack shouted back, unable to stop himself. "I thought I would be helping you if I stayed forever. But I'm not. I'm going to hurt you!"

Elsa laughed bitterly. Jack crossed the room and knelt next to her. He reached out but Elsa pulled away, turning away so that she wouldn't have to look at his face. "You know it's funny," she said. Jack didn't want to hear this. "You promised you would stay because I was worried I was going to hurt someone. I thought I would hurt you." She laughed maniacally.

"And now I'm leaving you alone because I don't want to hurt you," Jack finished for her. Elsa raised her chin, straightened her shoulders, pulled herself together as she stood up. Jack still kneeling looked up her, the girl he loved, and he knew what was coming.

"Well, Jack Frost, if you're leaving you had better do it now. I see absolutely no point in your continuing to be here if you are going to leave soon. I don't need you anymore. If you're cause was truly to save me pain, then staying longer will only defeat your purpose." Elsa put on her royal airs and her icy sculpture face.

"Elsa," Jack stood. "I'm sorry. This isn't what I wanted."

"Leave, please." Elsa said, shattering the frozen window pane. Jack hesitated, looking one last time at her, freezing her memory forever. "Leave now!" Elsa shouted and literally blew him out the window. Jack tumbled through the air, falling several feet before righting himself. Above him the window slammed shut.

Jack started flying up, to look through it but stopped himself. It would only hurt. Instead he flew as fast as he could into the wild. He blew past trees and cliffs, leaving bitter frost behind. Jack soared up the snowy mountain peaks, until he reached the North Mountain, the tallest in Arendelle. He alighted on top and then, like the boy he truly was inside, not the immovable immortal he had become, Jack Frost began to cry.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Elsa hadn't stopped crying for three days straight. Even though she didn't usually come out of her room very often, even Anna knew that there was something wrong with her older sister.

"Elsa?" Anna knocked on the door for the fifth time that day. "I know you're sad…but if you need me, I'm here," Anna said softly.

Elsa desperately wanted to reach out to her sister, but couldn't bring herself to form a coherent sentence. Elsa was alone in this world; Jack had broken his promise. He wouldn't ever stay around for her - she was an insignificant mortal compared to his immortal grandeur. She was a freak, somehow cursed with these freezing powers. And her only friend in the world, her only chance at love, too was gone.

It wasn't fair! She hadn't ever done anything to deserve this!

She heard Anna's footsteps receding from the doorway, and sighed. _That's okay, that Anna keeps her distance_, Elsa told herself. _She's safer that way_.

_Isn't she?_

The rest of the afternoon passed in the usual misery. She desperately tried to keep a hold on her powers, but sob after sob, ice layered the walls, her bed, the window. Everything was frozen, immobile, cold. Just like her heart.

Two days later, Elsa finally came out of her room, if only to say goodbye to her parents as they departed for their two week business trip to Corona.

"Do you have to go?" Elsa asked miserably, clinging onto her mother and father tightly.

"It's only two weeks, Elsa. You'll be fine," her father told her gently, patting her back.

Two kisses on her cheeks, and they were gone. All she was left was with a massive storm brewing in Arendelle (probably thanks to Jack's angst or something), her estranged sister, and of course, her icy, useless, damning powers.

And they weren't gone for two weeks - they were gone _forever_.

Eventually Elsa had grown up. She had moved on, but she also knew she wasn't the same as she had been. She was also Queen and with that came all kinds of problems. Her coronation was a disaster, especially the party after when Anna had finally let out all her pent up feelings. Elsa had been doing so well! She hadn't iced anything all day, until Anna just had to rip her glove off and show the world. Once again Elsa had almost killed Anna. So Elsa ran. She ran from the palace that reeked of memories. Memories of her parents, memories of the cute little girl Anna had been before Elsa had shut her out, and worst memories of Jack. Elsa ran and let everything go. She made it all the way to the North Mountain before she realized how wonderful leaving was. Elsa wished she had thought of it earlier. She didn't have to worry about hurting Anna, about anyone finding out what she could do. She was free. Everyone knew and she didn't care.

Then Anna had come to find her.

Even after the whole debacle with Hans and putting Arendelle in eternal winter, Elsa still hadn't healed. Her heart had been trampled on, destroyed, and humiliated. She had a new connection with Anna, which helped a little, but it wasn't much. Anna and Kristoff were happy together, finally marrying each other and expecting their first child in a few months. _They hadn't really taken it slow_, Elsa thought with a wry smile. Sure, it was better than an engagement after knowing each other for less than twenty-four hours, she rolled her eyes at Anna's innocence and Hans's power-hungry agenda, but it had really only been a year or two. Anna and Kristoff however did bring Elsa back to a world where her pain wasn't the only thing in it. Anna was the bright spot in Elsa's existence and slowly Elsa began to warm up again. But Elsa knew it couldn't last, and that thought weighed on her everyday.

On the fifth year anniversary of her parents death, she couldn't take it anymore. Anna didn't even remember it anymore, too caught up in her pregnancy and love for Kristoff. Was she the only one who remembered? Was that how insignificant life was? Her parents, the _Queen and King_, for frozen's sake, were reduced to nothing. There wasn't even a grave for them - two lives without even an engraving. A few portraits in the hall, but that's all their lives amounted to - not even a sentence left.

She barely made it to her room before icicles shot up from every corner of the room, piercing her bed and any of the unfortunate furniture that happened to be in the way. The mirror cracked, shattering into billions of splintered diamonds, scattering across the floor. The window shattered, letting in the torrential winds that ripped the curtains from their hangers, the covers from her bed, and closet doors from their hinges. Elsa welcomed the frosty bite of the wind and sleet, opening her arms to the pain.

_If Jack was in so much pain, why'd he do it?_

_That's a stupid question_, she mentally smacked herself. _He's immortal. I'm not. It's better this way_.

_Is it really though? _That niggling question continued to pester her in the back of her brain.

"It is better," a voice suddenly called out from behind her. She whirled around, thrusting her hands in front of her, ready to ice the intruder. It was Pitch.

"Think about it, Elsa, dear," he smiled cruelly. "If Jack's this unhinged," Pitch gestured to the storm brewing outside, "you don't want a _boy _with that much baggage and potency, anyways," he sneered. "After all, he killed two of your closest family members."

"WHAT?!" Elsa shrieked, moments away from shattering.

"That storm? Jack's doing?" Pitch fake-sighed. "That's what cost you your parents."

Elsa shattered, just like the mirror, scattering into sharp pieces, all edges and angles. She was broken, howling her grief into the wind, which whisked all the energy and life from her lips into the storm.

Jack had taken everything from her. Her love, her parents, her companionship. She was alone. Completely and utterly alone.

"No, Elsa, you're not alone," Pitch said softly. In any other situation, she would have heard the underlying sneer, the evil, manipulative nightmare that laid beneath the dark, obscure exterior. But Elsa was desperate. She needed a lifeline, and there was Pitch.

"Let's be honest with each other, shall we?" Pitch asked quietly, coming closer to her. "You tried the light. You worked so, so hard, to keep you powers from hurting people. And what did they do? What did they repay you with? Nothing but heartbreak and grief. Elsa, if you take my hand, you'll never have to worry about those hypocritical light preachers. Join me, Elsa, and you'll never be alone again."

Tears streaming down her face, her entire voice hoarse and meaningless in the wind, Elsa took Pitch's hand.

That was the day that she cursed Jack Frost and everything he had ever done to her and her family.


	7. Chapter 7

For the first few years Elsa didn't notice anything new. She had a new teacher now, and he wasn't anything the kind patience of Jack Frost. _Good,_ Elsa thought, anything to remind her of him would cause problems, so it was better to concentrate on what Pitch wanted her to do. Instead of building snowmen or growing icy flowers, he taught her how to make weapons, how to control a storm to do exactly what she wanted instead of blowing randomly. She never questioned how Pitch knew to do these things, though occasionally she did wonder why he kept muttering about "that idiot Hans".

Elsa's powers grew, and she no longer feared the people of Arendelle knowing. They accepted it openly, though Elsa did keep some of the darker skills to herself. Anna and Kristoff noticed her changing but they didn't comment. They had no control over her powers anyway. Elsa was still Queen, but she noticed that she wasn't aging at all. Anna looked about Elsa's age now, if not a year or two older. Anna and Kristoff's daughter, Elvira, was nine years old, their son was seven. Elsa had been 22 when little Alek had been born, but she didn't look a day older than 19.

Elsa had made the deal with Pitch, but she realized that perhaps it hadn't fully sunk in exactly what she was doing with that kind of bargain. It was a rather crushing realization one day when Elsa finally understood that Jack had left her because he didn't want to hurt her by making her feel human by growing old while he stood watching. But Elsa also realized that it would be painful for her to watch Anna and Kristoff grow old together, while she watched them have a family.

What did she need weapons and skills like this for? She had been doing just fine, with small magic, and ice castles before Pitch had come along. There was a place, a cave deep in the mountains, so dark that sunlight never reached the back. It was here that Elsa knew she would always be able to find Pitch. He had shown her the place years ago, as a reliable place to find him if she needed him.

It was there that Elsa stalked that day, after she realized exactly what she had to do. She walked straight in with no hesitation. Elsa didn't fear the dark, not anymore.

"I want out!" Elsa said with as much confidence as she could muster. The dark may not scare her but Pitch was still creepy and evil, and he did literally hold her life in his hands.

Pitch appeared in the shadows so quietly she couldn't be sure he hadn't been there all along, or if he had just come. "What?" he snarled.

"I'm done. I want out. This isn't worth it. I don't want to be immortal anymore. I won't be alone. I have Anna, and Kristoff, I can have my family. I don't need you. I want out. Make me mortal again." Elsa, trying to sound as if it were a done deal. Pitch growled.

"Not an option," he spat out.

"I don't make anything else for you ever again, or you make me mortal and I will finish the project I'm working on." Elsa was in the middle of creating a kind of catapult that could fling magic, of sorts.

"You think Anna and Kristoff are enough? To get rid of Jack?" Pitch asked his voice going smooth and convincing. Elsa's confidence wavered. "And what happens if you don't have them? What happens if I send my nightmares to Elvira and Alek? I will make those children, your family, go mad with fright. Who knows, might even kill them, stop their little hearts. It's happened before."

"You wouldn't," Elsa whispered, but she didn't mean it. Pitch knew it.

"I would. You know I would. That's what I live for. That is the reason for my existence, and you think you're going to get away, little Elsa?" Pitch laughed. Elsa backed away, toward the mouth of the cave. But Pitch moved faster than she could see and shoved her against the wall. He pinned her to the wall and hissed in her face. "Child, you will do what you're told. You haven't regretted it until this day, and I promise that you will regret it for the rest of your life if you cross me now. And thanks to me, your life is never ending. I froze your heart so that you would be useful and live forever. So that one day you will help me rise up and on that day you will get your revenge on Jack Frost. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

Elsa didn't dare speak. She nodded, barely.

"Good, then you won't be leaving my service?" Mutely Elsa shook her head. "Maybe I should keep a little insurance, shall I?" Elsa's eyes widened as Pitch let her go.

"Leave Anna alone!" Elsa said, anger once again over riding her fear.

"For now," Pitch considered. "Let's make another deal. You have five years. In that time you will perform perfectly, no mistakes, no second thoughts, and then maybe I will consider not taking Anna and Kristoff and holding them prisoner for eternity. Deal?"

"Deal," Elsa whispered so quietly that Pitch almost didn't hear her. He snarled at her again, and Elsa turned and ran.

Four years, three hundred and sixty-four days later, Elsa wondered what it would be like to live a normal life. She didn't even realize she had the thought. It just slipped out. Far away, Pitch grinned. He didn't appear but he whispered in Elsa's ear "Oops, time's up."

That night a search had been put out by the precocious fourteen year-old Princess Elvira. Her parents were missing, but as she held the twelve year-old Prince Alek and stared at the darkening night outside the castle, Elvira had the sinking feeling she would never see her parents again. A few days later when they had not been found a messenger was sent to the mountains to inform Elsa.

Elsa had given the throne to Anna and Kristoff a year earlier and had virtually disappeared into the mountains. Elsa had been tired of being queen, especially with Pitch whispering in her ear. Elsa had abdicated and went back to her ice castle in the mountains where she could have peace and left Anna and Kristoff as King and Queen. She knew they would be great. She hadn't even had much correspondence in that time. She had always been there when they needed her, though. But when the messenger came to tell her that her sister was missing, no one could find her. She had vanished.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It had been a while since Jack had thought about Elsa. Well, no. That was a lie. He thought about her every single day, every single minute, every second of his existence. And, being immortal, the torment never stopped.

It was never-ending.

But, hundreds of years later, the pain was less unbearable. Jack distracted himself by smacking random kids with snowballs, or creating icy slides. Not many people believed in him, anymore, even after he became the Guardian of Fun. Most of the time he had five years with a child, tops. Jack was invisible, slowly withering away as the years and memories of Elsa grew fainter and fainter. Until Jamie.

Jamie was the first kid to keep believing past the age of five. And throughout the first battles with Pitch, he not only held steadfast in his beliefs, but helped other children discover the Guardians, too. And that stunned Jack.

"You can still see me?" Jack asked, waving his arms about.

"You're silly," Jamie giggled as he completed his third grade homework. "'Course I can!"

Jack made sure to visit Jamie once a day, for fear of losing his only friend. Sure, the other Guardians were there, but Jack didn't connect with them. Not at all.

Jack's favorite age was around twelve years old. Although there were some odd hormones and feelings swimming around a twelve-year-old's psyche. But they were are the perfect age - where they either stop believing in their imaginary friends, or become the most valuable confidant a Guardian could ever have. And Jamie was just that.

Sometimes, Jamie caught Jack looking out the window, remembering something or someone from a long ago era. Jack was sad sometimes, and Jamie had just started to notice it. Between pauses in the conversation, or whenever Jack thought that Jamie wasn't looking, Jack would always get a distant expression in his eyes. And he was sad.

Jamie knew Jack was trying to hide it, so he couldn't bring it up, but Jamie wanted to do something to help. The problem was Jamie had no idea what helping for this meant. He didn't even know what "this" was.

"You okay, Jack?" Jamie asked quietly, hoping that Jack would tell him for once what was wrong. He hated seeing Jack sad. It wasn't, well, Jack.

"Hmm?" Jack responded distracted. "Sorry what?" Jack snapped his neck towards Jamie, who eyed Jack knowingly. "No, nothing's wrong."

Jamie continued to look at Jack. "Sure," he drawled disbelievingly.

"Well… okay this might sounds stupid to you, but I was thinking about a girl," Jack admitted.

That threw Jamie for a loop - he had never really considered that Jack might have a life outside of making snowballs and storms.

"Really?" Jamie asked, taken aback.

"Yeah..." Jack trailed off. "But it was a long time ago."

"Who was she?" Jamie asked curiously.

"She was like me. At first, she was just a kid. You know, someone to talk to and play with. Someone to protect. But when she got older... She was beautiful. Gorgeous," Jack said wistfully.

"What do you mean she was like you? Wasn't she human?"

"Well yes, she was human, but she was born with icy powers, too."

"Did she like you back?"

"Yeah," Jack smiled.

"So what happened?"

"She ages, I don't. There would've been a time when she would have grown too old for me. She had so many responsibilities, being a queen..."

"An ice queen?" Jamie smirked. "So your type."

Jack glared at him. "I told her it couldn't last... She'd grow old when I stayed young, and I just couldn't watch her die. So I ended it, for her sanity. So she could move on."

"But... You both liked each other... Don't you regret not spending enough time with her?"

"Everyday, Jamie. Everyday."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"You're ready." Pitch had crept up behind Elsa. Goodness knows he'd been creeping up behind her for long enough that she didn't even flinch anymore. She'd gotten used to his shadowy ways in the past two hundred years. She no longer shuddered when he whispered in her ear, and no longer feared going to sleep leaving her world for the nightmares.

"Am I?" Elsa asked but she knew he was right. She could feel the power running along her nerves, fast and powerful and cold, with no hint of the strain it used to take. It came easily and in fact now she was having trouble again holding it back.

"Tonight the eclipse will block my old foe and you and I will begin our work. By the time that Old Man is able to see us again we will be too powerful to stop. Those meddling Guardians won't be able to stop me this time. The world will fall to fear again, and it will be all thanks to you." Pitch smiled carnivorously at Elsa and she smiled back. This was it, two hundred years of practice leading up to tonight. No one would ever be able leave her alone again. Everyone would know who she was and it would be perfect.

Though to Elsa it seemed only seconds had passed hours later the moon was rising and Pitch was once again standing beside her. He was rubbing his hands together maliciously and grinning at the full Moon. "Here it comes."

Elsa stared in wonder at the blue-silver moon as slowly a creeping dark circle covered it. She turned her pale face to Pitch and smiled, "Let's go." They set off in different directions. Pitch walked down the street, walking slowly until he seemed to expand, swirling nightmares and black sand exploded from each step and blew into the world. Elsa walked the other way, but a similar phenomenon occurred. She gained speed as she practically flew over the city, cold sweeping behind her, mixed with more of Pitch's fear sand. As the cold air blew into every child's bedroom through every open window or small crack under the door, the child shivered, curling up under their blankets but unable to escape the icy fear that crawled into their dreams.

Once upon a time Elsa had frozen Arendelle by accident, covering the land in winter. Now she did it again, not through cold and ice over every tree and flower but with a persistent cold that hung in the air, changing good thoughts to darkness when someone walked through. Elsa had been working on that with Pitch for decades. As he spread darkness in one direction and she spread cold in the other they mixed their powers. Cold became darkness and darkness began to freeze. Every time a child was touched, their heart was frozen.

They started where the eclipse was strongest and spread quickly. Elsa was freezing Manhattan when the first sign of trouble came. At first it seemed like a street light, but soon Elsa could see this was something different. In the black wake behind her, Elsa saw a light. It was gold and it was getting closer. Elsa spun to face it, summoning a veritable battery of ice covered snowballs.

Something gold and shiny came hurtling out of the darkness. Elsa ducked as a sparkling gold baseball whized past her head. A tiny glowing gold man, made out of sand, flew at her, chucking random sandcastles or other items made out of sand. She snorted, finishing them all off with a well aimed ice dagger. This was nothing.

And then a bunch of fairies started attacking her. Which of course, she froze easily with a blast of snow, confusing the fairies so that they bumped into each other, confused and bumbling around.

"My baby teeth!" a bigger fairy cried out, which Elsa presumed was Tooth. Pitch had debriefed her on all of the Guardians. "You're going to shatter their enamel, if you keep this up!" she cursed Elsa.

Elsa shrugged, carelessly deflecting the gold man's sand sculptures. Sandy, Elsa recalled.

"If only you were a nice person," Tooth tittered. "I really appreciate how white your teeth are."

"Thanks, but you're in my way," Elsa said softly, freezing another child's heart and implanting the name "Jack Frost" in the child's head as the reason for his future antipathy. She noticed that Sandy and Tooth both weakened a tiny amount in their efforts to stop her, which meant that Pitch's plan was working. Without the Moon to protect them, each loss of a believer would mean the difference of life and death to the Guardians.

She worked quickly, maintaining a shield against Sandy and Tooth's attacks while still freezing children's hearts. They had flown across several states when they hit Maine, where a gigantic Russian man used his ice picks to tear down her carefully constructed ice shields. It was hard, managing three foes and still striking fear into children's' hearts, but she had trained for this. Those countless hours fighting nightmares after nightmares made this look easy.

Eventually, she found the rendezvous with Pitch, noting the darkened sky and the blackness that surrounded the world. The Guardians were becoming weaker and weaker, and Elsa's job was merely becoming easier and easier.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jack was thoroughly tired of Pitch. They had destroyed him once, so _why _couldn't he stay that way? And of course, Jack voiced his frustrations.

"Why don't you just stay dead?" Jack growled, waving his staff around, trying to hit Pitch with a nice blast of jagged ice.

"Because there is always _fear_," Pitch chuckled deeply, dodging all of Jack's attacks. "And when there is fear, I am _king_. And Frosty, you should see me in a crown."

"Let's take this up into the sky, why don't we?" Jack taunted, flitting farther and farther up in the air. In truth, Jack just needed Pitch to move further away from Jamie's house. It was the worst thing that could happen to Jack, losing his only best friend in how many centuries? Besides Elsa, of course, but Jack didn't think about that. No, actually, that was a lie, he thought about her all the time.

Pitch took the bait, spiralling up towards Jack as he drew him away from Jamie's hometown. "You might be a king, but you're the king of _stupidity_," Jack snarked, hoping to rile Pitch up to make a mistake.

But Pitch had learned over the years that becoming angry didn't buy him anything. More often than not, it caused him to lose to this pathetic excuse of a Guardian. And that wasn't a mistake that Pitch was willing to make this time. This time, his teamwork with Elsa would pay off. He was sure of it. Going after all the children in the world by himself last time hadn't worked. The Guardians had a new addition, so it was time to bring out his pet. The Guardians had their dream-team, now it was his turn, a nightmare-team. Jack wouldn't be able to stop him this time.

But could he get Jack to become angry? To become hotheaded and lose _his _cool?

"You know Jack, for being hundreds of years old, you're still nothing compared to the rest of us. What are you doing, being a Guardian? You're not going to do anything, you just get in the way," Pitch sneered.

"I help people!" Jack gritted his teeth as he barely dodged a fear arrow.

"Hah!" Pitch laughed sardonically. "You _help _people. How many of them know that you even exist? You'll never be like North, or Tooth. And she's a fairy, for nightmares' sake!"

Jack started to lose his concentration, and Pitch pressed his advantage.

"Oh Jack Frost. No one believes in you."

"That's not true! Jamie believes in me! His sister, Sophie believes in me-"

"You know, knowing the kids' names doesn't help your case at all," Pitch curled his lip as he fired off arrows rapidly towards the irritating teenager. "That tells people that there are only a few people who believe in you - you can remember all their names! With your brain, that's only, what, ten kids? Out of how many millions?"

"Stop it!" Jack cried, his reactions slower and his attacks less frequent. "Stop it now! At least I'm loved, when all anyone ever does is fear you!"

"People fear you, too," Pitch grinned. "I've had a little project going. The kids, the lights that are going out? The ones that stop believing? It's not just the fact that they don't believe in the Guardians anymore, but their hearts are frozen, snapped in two. You know whose name we've done that in?"

"STOP!" Jack said frantically, knowing the answer.

"Yours," Pitch grinned maliciously. "They fear you, Jack Frost. They've been iced. It's your time to be feared."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was only when Pitch and Jack brought their epic battle down to the ground that Elsa realized it was time to exact her revenge.

Jack fought Pitch valiantly, countering every nightmare or fear arrow with a well-aimed blast of snow. Elsa continued to freeze Sandy's tendrils, holding her frozen shield about her so that North, and Tooth were continuously repelled. Bunny had joined, as well. Sandy wasn't her battle to fight. Jack was. And she wasn't about to let Pitch have all the fun.

In a quick three-sixty degree turn, she froze Bunny's feet in place, North's entire being and all of his annoying toys (he would break out of the ice too easily, otherwise), and Tooth's wings. In another icy blast, Sandy was no longer a problem.

"My turn, Pitch," she yelled, switching places. "The Guardians are yours to destroy."

Pitch engulfed Jack in darkness so that they could exchange opponents; just as Bunny melted his feet free, Elsa ran as quickly as she could towards the nightmarish prison that held Jack.

His focus on other enemies, Pitch's jail melted away, leaving a confused Jack, who waved his staff violently.

"COWARD!" he shouted away from her. "COME BACK HERE YOU-"

He fell silent as he faced Elsa, his jaw slack. "What are you, a nightmare Pitch sent to destroy me? You can't possibly be-"

"It's Elsa, you fool," Elsa hissed, conjuring an icy storm of hail and wind, letting it grow in strength before she pummeled him. "The girl whose heart you snapped in half, the girl whose parents were murdered by your storm!" she yelled, tears running down her face. "I HATE EVERY FIBER OF YOUR BEING, JACK FROST!" she screamed and then let the storm go.

Jack wisely created a shield of ice around them, so that they were isolated from the storm. "I didn't kill your parents! I may have broken your heart… but it was for your own good!"

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT TRASH," Elsa sobbed, shooting icy dagger after icy dagger at him. "You knew exactly how much pain it was cause me, and you still did it!" Elsa cursed.

"But you're human! You should've died centuries ago!" Jack protested, confused and hurt. "How?"

"Pitch," she glared at him. "You could've made me immortal."

"No I couldn't have, I didn't know how!" Jack yelled, reluctant to attack her.

"I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU," Elsa screamed, shattering the icy bubble that Jack had created.

"I didn't kill your parents!" Jack said. "I didn't make that storm!"

And then, Pitch froze Jack, in a bubble of solid ice.

And that's when she knew.

She turned on Pitch furious, the storm raging around her.

"Sorry, you were just taking so long," Pitch smirked, thinking she was angry that he had prevented her from exacting her revenge."

"IT WAS YOU!" she yelled hysterically, the clouds growing darker and darker with every single second. "YOU WERE THE ONE WHO CREATED THE STORM THAT KILLED MY PARENTS. YOU TAUGHT ME THAT POWER! YOU KILLED THEM!"

"Are you seriously going to believe Jack?" Pitch scoffed. "Over my word?"

"It was you," she hissed, shadows lengthening over her face.

"Oh come on," Pitch groaned, knowing he had been caught. "I didn't kill them, if that helps," he said summoning four icy bubbles - one for each person: her mother, father, Anna, and Kristoff. "They're just insurance, if you know what I mean."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!" she yelled unleashing the storm on Pitch, breaking the nightmarish prisons that held the other Guardians, all except Jack who was behind Pitch.

"IT WAS YOU ALL ALONG! YOU LIED TO ME, DECEIVED ME, CAUSED ME SO MUCH PAIN!" she screamed, each exclamation emphasized with a strike of thunder. The Guardians added their powers - Sandy suffocating Pitch's nightmares, Bunny chucking chocolate egg after chocolate egg at Pitch's head, North's ice picks destroying Pitch's Night Mares, and Tooth's fairies pecking viciously. As Pitch became more and more weak, the frozen bubble around Jack began melting, alongside Elsa's parents, Anna, and Kristoff.

Elsa was furious. Furious with Pitch for taking Anna and Kristoff, for taking her parents, for blaming Jack, furious because he had turned her into the monster she had always feared being. Elsa was most furious, however, with herself. She had allowed it to happen. She had gotten so wrapped up in her pain and heartbreak that she had nearly destroyed the world. She had lost everything and had betrayed herself. Elsa was furious at herself, at Pitch, and in that moment Elsa realized that she had hurt children. Suddenly an image of Anna as a little girl, with ice in her head, flashed through Elsa's mind. She lashed out, sending a freezing blast of icicles, not at Pitch but at Jack. The icicles shattered his prison and Jack looked at Elsa in wonder. Then he understood. Together, Jack and Elsa, facing each other, blasted Pitch with full freezing power from both sides. With one last furious blast from the both of them, Pitch was gone.

The four people dearest to Elsa opened their eyes to the world for the first time in centuries, as with Pitch blown apart by ice, his powers faded and Elsa's family was free.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The Guardians stood in the middle of the battle field. Pitch was gone, really gone this time. He wouldn't be back, at least not for a very very long time. Jamie knelt in the ashes next to one of the broken toys from one of the saved children, having run out after the battle to see if Jack had survived. Anna, Kristoff, and Elsa and Anna's parents stood watching, smiling.

"Jack!" Elsa yelled. Everyone looked at her, but she didn't care. She ran forward, practically flying across the field until she reached Jack's outstretched arms. Jack grabbed her and spun her around, his staff dropped carelessly on the field. Elsa kissed him and he kissed her back. He held her close like he would never let go of her again, and Elsa didn't want him to. "I'm sorry, Jack," Elsa said through tears of happiness. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I'm sorry for all of this."

"And I'm sorry, Elsa, for my part in this. None of this would have happened if I had just kept my promise."

"I don't care. Promise me, Jack Frost that you'll never leave me again?"

"I promise, Elsa. I love you, still, and always. I will never leave you again." Jack finally put Elsa down. They stood in the middle of the battlefield smiling at each other, oblivious to the world.

"Very nice!" boomed North. Elsa and Jack jumped turning abruptly to see all the other Guardians staring at them with mixed emotions. North looked gleeful. Sandman was happily bouncing. Tooth was on the verge of a teenage girl squeal, grinning ear to ear. Bunny had suppressed amusement and a little smugness written on his furry face. Jack and Elsa clasped hands and grinned sheepishly, especially Jack. Anna held Kristoff's hand tightly, smiling broadly for her big sister.

Everything Elsa had wished for was here. Her parents weren't dead. Anna and Kristoff were free. Pitch was gone. And Elsa had Jack back.

Suddenly Elsa cried out. Her hand went to her heart and she staggered a few steps back. Pain was written all over her face and she collapsed to her knees. Jack jumped forward and caught her. He looked panicked.

"Elsa, what wrong!" he asked, lowering her to the ground as she went limp in his arms. She whimpered and closed her eyes. "Elsa!" Jack shouted. The other Guardians gathered around quickly, watching silently. Anna went to kneel, but Kristoff held her back. Jack knelt in the ashes, holding Elsa in his arms.

"Jack…" Elsa whispered. Jack leaned forward to hear her. "Jack, it's broken."

"What's broken!" Jack said urgently.

"The spell, the curse."

"What?" Jack was baffled.

"Pitch," Elsa whispered, opening her blue eyes. "To make me immortal, he froze my heart. It's not frozen anymore." Jack stared in horror.

Anna asked, "Isn't that a good thing?"

Jack answered, without looking away from Elsa. "Not like this. This isn't like you, Anna."

"Why not?" Kristoff asked.

"This wasn't created by anger from a friend. Pitch froze her heart using dark magic. Unfreezing it means that Elsa is mortal again, and worse she is mortal and her two hundred years of living are catching up quickly.

Elsa laughed quietly, but it turned into a cough. "I look barely 19 and I'm dying of old age, Anna." Everyone hushed.

"Elsa…" Jack's voice broke.

"Jack, I am dying. I got everything I wanted, and I'm happy. But, yes, I'm dying."

"It's not fair!" Jack said. Anna turned and buried her face in Kristoff's shoulder. But Elsa just shook her head wearily. She reached out a hand and touched Jack's face.

"I love you, Jack." Elsa glanced past him to her family. "I love you too. All of you, and I am so very glad I got to see you all again." Elsa didn't say it but they all heard it, before I die.

"Elsa, I love you," Jack managed.

"Promise?" she asked. Jack knew what she meant.

"I'm right here, Elsa. I'll never leave you. I promise. I love you."

Elsa smiled. Her breath was shallow. Her hand dropped. "Love," Elsa whispered. Her eyes closed. Her breathing stopped. Jack couldn't feel her heartbeat anymore.

The battle was won. The world was saved. And Elsa was dead.

**AN: Psst. This isn't the end!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Jack hadn't moved. It had been fifteen minutes since Elsa had breathed her last, and in that time Jack hadn't so much as shaken his head. Anna had started sobbing hysterically into Kristoff's shoulder. Elsa's parents had retreated to a distance and held each other tight. Sandman stopped floating and was standing dejectedly at Jack's side. Likewise, Tooth had stopped fluttering and was grounded, looking down and the ground. North was standing awkwardly, fiddling with a glowball. Even Bunny was silent, his tapping foot finally stilled. Jamie hovered uncertainly at his friend's side, unsure how to help, so he anxiously wrung his hands together. But Jack was completely still.

Jack held Elsa in his arms, refusing to let go. His staff still lay, discarded behind him. Slowly ice spread in a growing pool around them, making it look as if Jack knelt in the middle of a glowing pool. Or sat on the surface of the moon.

Slowly everyone backed away as the ice crawled under their feet. Jack still didn't move, like he himself was frozen. The Moon had risen, glowing over the battlefield, and lighting Jack's ice like a mirror. Soon it became more than just a reflection, the ice pool was actually glowing, brighter and brighter. It was a silver-blue moon flattened onto the ground, with Jack, clutching Elsa, crouched in the middle. Jack still hadn't moved, but everyone else had realized that something important was happening, something unusual. They stood around the edge of the circle of ice, watching in silence. Anna had stopped sniffling, though she still clung to Kristoff. The Guardians were staring fixedly at the sky. Kristoff noticed and pointed it out to Anna, together they too stared with interest at the sky.

The Moon was growing bigger and brighter, and the silver light seemed to direct itself in concentration upon the ice. Jack finally moved. He raised his head and stared at the Moon hanging just above him.

"Why?" Jack asked. "What did I ever do to deserve this from you!" Jack shouted at the sky. "Was it not enough that I be alone for three hundred years, but the moment I finally have her back she has to die! Why!" Jack's voice broke again as he stared at the Moon and started to cry. Silent heaving sobs racked Jack's body as he held Elsa's body close.

The gathered crowd watched in awe as the moonlight condensed until it was a spotlight on only the pair on the ice. Jacks hair was glowing silver, bright as the Moon itself. Elsa's dress sparkled in the light. Jack didn't notice. He shuddering and shaking as he stared down at Elsa. Her eyes were closed, and though everything around him was beautiful the one thing Jack wanted that moment was to see her eyes, her beautiful ice-blue eyes, staring at him again, even for just a second.

Jack finally realized that the world had gone dark, all except for the ray of light focused on him. Jack looked away from Elsa and stared in wonder at the Moon. The Moon that had left him alone for too long.

Jack felt a hand on his cheek. He looked down in surprise. Elsa was staring at him, her blue eyes bright and very much alive. She smiled. She was glowing. Glowing in silver light, and glowing in health. Jack stared in shock as Elsa sat up and grasped Jack's hands in her own.

"Elsa?" Jack asked in a very small voice.

"Jack?" Elsa said in the exact same tone. She laughed, she giggled, she cried, and she flung her arms around Jack. "It's me, Jack."

"But how?" Jack asked, then he stopped and stared at the sky. "Thank you." Jack said simply. The he stood abruptly and pulled Elsa to her feet too. "Thank you!" Jack yelled at the retreating Moon. The Man in the Moon smiled, just a little.

Jack kissed Elsa, standing, once again oblivious, in the center of the ice patch, which still glowed more brightly than it ought to have. Suddenly their moment was interrupted by Anna sliding into them. Kristoff careened into them a moment later after having followed his wife. All four tumbled to the ground in a gigantic laughing heap. A moment after that Elsa's parents slid undignifiedly across the ice and landed in the pile. Elsa was surrounded by everyone she thought she had lost. Three hundred years of pain and suffering had miraculously been fixed in a single night.

"Jack, I never promised you that I would never leave you. You always promised me."

"So?"

"My turn," Elsa beamed. "Jack Frost, I promise I will never leave you. I will be with you always. You will never be alone." Elsa stopped. Then she grinned mischievously. "And I mean that quite literally now, I am just like you, a spirit of ice and winter, immortal. I think... I think I'm a Guardian too, now. The Guardian of family. I'm not going anywhere." Jack grinned like a mad man. Mostly everyone had managed to stand again, though they were all still laughing uncontrollably. Jack knelt in front of Elsa.

"Elsa, I will never leave you. And I will be at your side forever. Because I love you. Will you marry me?"

Elsa grinned. She yanked Jack to his feet, nodded emphatically, then kissed him, and didn't stop for a very long time. "Yes, Jack Frost, I will marry you. I love you and you will have to put up with me forever."

"That I think I can handle, you'll have to do the same," Jack warned.

"That I think I can handle, we've both been alone for far far too long."

And they lived happily ever after (literally forever after, seriously).


	14. Chapter 14 - Epilogue

Epilogue

"Jack we really shouldn't do this," Elsa giggled as they approached the back door, hearing the loud pounding of music. The party had already started, it seemed.

"Oh come on," Jack grinned. "We never had these sorts of opportunities back in our day. Modern kids have it right. Live a little."

"Live?" Elsa smirked. "It's not like our time is limited."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, we get our happily ever after," Jack smiled, kissing her slightly. "Now come on, let's go!" he grabbed her arm and dragged her through the door.

It was a local high school's Winter-themed prom, and the two teenagers (who were actually hundreds of years old) fit right in.

"These decorations are pathetic," Elsa commented, before spraying snowflakes everywhere, and icing the walls and ceilings with frozen fractals.

"Damn!" some random boy looked at Elsa in awe. "That's one helluva party trick."

"Thanks," she flashed him a snow-white smile, hooking her arm in Jack's.

"Don't show off too much," Jack playfully chided her as they weaved their way through the tables to the dance floor.

"You know me. Sometimes you just have to let it go," she grinned.

As soon as they reached the dance floor, Jack swung her out, smiling as her dress twirled about her. "I still can't get over that dress. It's gorgeous - you're gorgeous," he smiled as he spun her closer to him.

"When did you learn how to dance?" she laughed.

"In the hundreds of years I waited for you," Jack smiled.

"Is this her?" Jamie asked, approaching them with his own date, a girl with fiery red hair and piercing green eyes.

"I take it you've talked about me?" Elsa asked, nudging Jack.

"Of course he has! He's head over heels for you," Jamie affirmed before Jack could protest. "Meet my girlfriend, Elyse."

"Beautiful name," Elsa smiled.

"It's very nice to meet you," Jack shook Elyse's hand.

"Wow, I never really believed Jamie before," Elyse said. "It's really nice to know you are all watching over us."

"Always," Elsa smiled, touching Elyse's shoulder.

"And forever," Jack added, smiling as he met Jamie's eyes.

"Let's dance then!" Jamie smiled, flailing his arms about with Elyse, who laughed at him. Jack attempted to copy Jamie's movements, but they scared so many other people that they had cleared quite a space on the dance floor.

"Look, Jack, there was the really cool dance I saw on Doctor Who!" Jamie put his arms up and then ridiculously started shaking his head back and forth. "It's called the drunken giraffe!" Jamie and Elyse's classmates balked, but the four didn't care, dancing the drunken giraffe without a care in the world.

When a slow song came on, Jack put his hands on Elsa's waist, smiling as she put her head on his shoulder.

At last, Jack and Elsa would never have to worry about being alone again.


End file.
